By Canadian Press

Fire that gutted Metro Vancouver school caused by humans, police say

Mar 1, 2024 | 9:14 AM

COQUITLAM, B.C. — Police say they believe a fire last October that destroyed an elementary school in Port Coquitlam, B.C., was human caused.

Coquitlam RCMP say the investigators are now asking those responsible or people who may know who is responsible to come forward and contact police.

The fire at Hazel Trembath Elementary School happened in the early morning of Oct. 14, and the weekend fire was initially deemed suspicious by police.

Police said that investigators were treating the blaze as a criminal investigation until proven otherwise.

More than 200 students attended the school and have been commuting to another site in Coquitlam since the fire. 

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Investigators said at the time of the fire that they had collected 2000 hours of video footage and conducted hundreds of interviews while looking into the case.

“We understand that the loss of the school has had tremendous impact on the entire community and police continue to actively pursue this complex investigation,” Coquitlam RCMP Inspector Darren Carr says in a statement.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 1, 2024.

The Canadian Press